Withers new head coach at James Madison

By TIM MAY

Everett Withers, Ohio State’s co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach the past two seasons, tonight was named head coach at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va.

“I’m excited about the job, an opportunity to be a head football coach at a very good school,” Withers said by phone of JMU, which won the NCAA FCS national title in 2004 but has designs on moving up to the FBS major college level in the near future. “What attracted me to this job is the cupboard isn’t bare, and though they haven’t won big lately, there’s players, there’s talent in the state, and I think the leadership is great and we’re going in that direction to go win.”

Withers, also the assistant head coach to Urban Meyer, takes the JMU reins immediately but he will also help coach the Buckeyes through the Orange Bowl on Jan.3 vs. Clemson.

He and defensive coordinator Luke Fickell have taken the brunt of criticism leveled at the OSU defense late in the year for its inability to stop the pass. It was a weakness which, despite a school-record 24-game winning streak, finally caught up to the Buckeyes in the 34-24 loss to Michigan State in Big Ten championship game Dec.7, a fall which also kept them out of the final BCS national title game.

When asked whether Myer had urged him to see new employment elsewhere, though, Withers laughed, despite the fact he probably is taking about a substantial pay cut from his $580,000 salary at OSU.

“This is my deal,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get an opportunity in the right spot for the last three or four years. This is a great opportunity for me. I went to Urban about this.”